Jumping on the Bandwagon

So this...

...is a picture of my unmade bed at 3 p.m. because I've been sitting in it all day reading a book I have been unable to put down for the past 24 hours.

After hearing people rave about The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, I decided to look into it myself. And seriously, best decision ever (besides the fact that reading it might have pushed closer to the top on my list of priorities than it should have). I actually got the book as a Christmas gift (thanks, Dad!) and initially- for about the first two chapters- could not understand what all the buzz was about. It's really slow to start, but once it gets going, let me warn you- don't make any other plans for a week.

It's an extremely realistic account of two cleverly intertwined story lines that incorporates a murder mystery with a libel case and plenty of dysfunction, dynamic characters, and sick twists along the way. There were some chapters that ended on such eerie notes that I had to keep reading until I could close the book without being freaked out beyond belief (and I could actually fall asleep without the light on).

It's the kind of book that leaves you yearning to know what happens at the end, and the action never stops along the way. Entertainment Weekly called its sequel, The Girl Who Played With Fire, "A gripping, stay-up-all-night read," and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo fits this description perfectly as well.

I forgot what it was like to be so engrossed in a book, and I definitely needed a good read. Reader approved for sure- go get a copy and be prepared to plan your day around reading time :)

See you soon!
Krystin

Video Viernes: THON-Style

I guess we'll just have to make this a THON-themed week, which is A-okay by me!

According to www.thon.org, today is a TwitterTHON:

"What is TwitterTHON? THON is teaming up with AbolishCancer on Twitter in an attempt to raise more awareness about the fight against pediatric cancer. Last year, when THON had its first 'Twitterthon' with them, a sponsor agreed to pay $1 for every new follower of AbolishCancer. This ended up raising $2,500 for THON 2010! This year, AbolishCancer is hoping to raise $3,000! This means that for every new follower AbolishCancer gets that day, $1 goes to THON, with a potential of a $3,000 donation! This is great publicity for THON since they have over 42,000 followers on Twitter! To help THON 2011's total, follow AbolishCancer on Twitter THIS FRIDAY, February 4th 2011! We encourage everyone to tweet about this event on Friday and to follow AbolishCancer. FTK!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Andy Byun at axb5138@psu.edu or Andrew Lambert at atl5061@psu.edu!"

Now to go along with my last post and Friday's video theme, please enjoy :)

Watch the video here!


See you soon!
Krystin

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I know what you're thinking. "Aren't you a few months late?" But no, it's these first few weeks of February that, to me, are even more exciting than Christmas. It's officially THON season! For those of you who are not familiar, The Penn State Dance Marathon is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, benefitting pediatric cancer. Last year, Penn State students raised over $7.8 million for the kids. Today marks 15 days until the big weekend, where we will go without sleep or sitting for 46 hours!

There are a bunch of events that always get me really excited for THON, and the first was the Road to THON dinner last Thursday. While I missed my chance to meet JoePa (who apparently was in the building), I can't complain about anything else. I am SO ready for THON weekend! To learn more or donate online, visit www.thon.org.

Emily, PRSSA's unbelievably adorable THON child, was featured in the dinner's program! (upper-right corner)

The desert was delicious and even incorporated this year's theme and logo- "Together without Limits"

See you soon!
Krystin

Video Viernes

In honor of Friday (or Viernes because I love assimilation), I will post a video. Let's face it, everyone is ready for the weekend, and a video is probably a lot more enjoyable than having to read a bunch of words that probably look jumbled to you by this point in the week.

As a college student, I can say I have never even heard of something so absurd, and absurdities don't tend to run dry here in Happy Valley. This is one thing no one should ever even think about doing with alcohol.

Watch the video here!

See you soon!
Krystin

Sharing is Caring (Yes, that is a Jersey Shore reference)

While I thoroughly love to be out and about and running around, I sometimes just need to stay at home and relax. Except I have this fear of missing something that tends to get in my way. So, when I am home relaxing, I usually find things to do, and a lot of times they happen to be online.

Here's where I share with you one of my favorite at-home pastimes: finding the best deals on the web. The list of my favorites can go on forever and ever (so you'll probably be hearing about more in future posts), but for now, I'm sticking with two I don't think any smart shopper should miss! Guys- that includes you too. Afterall, you're going to need gift ideas sooner or later!

1. ShoeDazzle

If you're one of my close friends, you already know how obsessed I am with this website. The way it works is after you sign up, you'll get monthly shoe, bag, and jewelry selections in your own personal showroom. The findings are picked for you by the personal stylists of ShoeDazzle, including Kim Kardashian :), who base their choices on a quiz you'll take about your style preferences upon signing up. It's 100% FREE to become a member, and everything is always $39.95 (except when they have deals and discounts). I love this because it's so much fun and doesn't bind you to any obligations- you can skip a month whenever you want! Here are two pairs of shoes I've ordered so far.

2. LivingSocial

If you live in or around a city, or you're planning on ever visiting, this is a great website for you. By signing up, you'll receive a daily email (I promise it's not annoying) with a fantastic deal in your city of choice. You buy the deal before time is up and use it before expiration. And voila! Restaurants, spas, tours, just about everything you could imagine a city has to offer. Here are a couple I've received in the past few days.

And there you have it :)

See you soon!
Krystin

Finding a Job is a Full-Time Job

When the fun of Christmas break came to an end, I knew one thing for sure: the hunt was on, and it was going to be intense.

By hunt, I mean the search for a career post-graduation (or at the very least a step in the right direction). Instead of dwelling on the frustrations of perfecting my resume, drafting countless cover letters, and awaiting phone calls or emails with interview offers, I'll focus on the positives. Hopefully they'll even help you, if you're in the same boat!

If you're anything like me and love social media, then you already have the upper hand. Unless you really haven't been paying attention, you know that websites like Twitter, Facebook, and especially Linked In are beginning to become crucial in the job search.

One of the things I love most is that there are so many people who are willing to share advice, as in this Fortune article called 10 Ways to Use Social Media in Your Job Hunt.

However, being submerged in the age of technology doesn't equate to the relationships that can be established in person. Networking face-to-face holds much more value, and while I hate to end on a cliche, it just fits so perfectly. It's not about what you know, but who you know. Looks like I'll be taking advantage of every career fair and networking event that enters Happy Valley.

See you soon!
Krystin

Hoping What Amuses Me Will Be Entertaining for You...

Welcome to my blog! This is an introductory post to fill you in on what is to come- except I don't really know, so hopefully you'll be intrigued enough to come back :-)

On a daily basis, I run into things that spark my interest, oftentimes very random and other times, more relatable to my life. It's not hard to grab my attention, so when I see something I think is cool, you can expect to read about it here!

Of course, I do have prominent interests that you'll see over and over again. I tend to be a intrigued by PR stories and happenings (which I guess is a good indication that I chose the right major!). But also be on the lookout for anything pop culture, hard news, or just random observations I come across in my daily routine.

I LOVE feedback, suggestions, and advice, so feel free to fire away :)

Here's to letting you in on the randomness of my life. I hope you enjoy!

See you soon!
Krystin

p.s. I don't speak any French, as might be suggested by the title of this blog. Although I have visited Paris, I have yet to take one French class. I just think the language sounds pretty :)
Disclaimer: I sometimes drop some Spanish words into my English conversations (I'm also not fluent in Spanish, but I have taken some classes).
...Just in case you were wondering.